Argall says schools tax Coaldale unfairly

Borough homeowners face 28% hike. Others would pay less than 1%.

State Rep. David G. Argall, R-Schuylkill and Berks, is throwing his weight behind Coaldale in its fight against a Panther Valley School District tax increase of 28 percent.

The school board in June adopted a $19.67 million budget that raised the property tax by 9.96 mills in Schuylkill County and by just 0.18 mills in Carbon County.

That means the owner of a property assessed at $50,000 in Coaldale will pay $2,251 in property tax, an increase of $498. The owner of a similarly valued property in Carbon would pay $2,199 in property tax, an increase of $10, or 0.46 percent.

Responding to the ensuing uproar, the school board on Aug. 24 voted to reopen its budget to see if it could find any fat to trim to reduce the tax hike.

But Coaldale residents took their outrage to Argall, who on Sept. 1 sent a letter to every borough resident.

"This tax increase is certainly unfair," Argall wrote. "I believe it is illegal" because it violates Act 72 rules which limit school tax increases to 5.5 percent without being put to a referendum.

In his letter, Argall wrote that he would send another letter to the state Department of Education protesting the increase.

The steeper tax increase for Coaldale was the result of adjustments to make up for underassessed property values in Schuylkill County.

The matter was raised at a public council meeting Tuesday. Resident Richard Corkery told council that he and Councilman Steve Tentylo attended a meeting that Argall arranged Friday with school Superintendent Chris West and school district Business Manager Kenneth Marx.

Corkery, who opposes the tax increase, said he told Argall that the state Department of Education, not borough residents, should pay the tax increase. He said he also suggested that Argall ask the Legislature to give residents an extra five years to pay whatever they owe.

Corkery urged residents to oust the current school board when their terms are up.

"Those boys on the board have [taunted] us for the last time," he vowed.

Council voted to send a letter to Argall thanking him for his support and encouraging him to continue his efforts.

Also Tuesday, council heard from two residents concerned about dilapidated properties.

Ann and Charles Miller and Tom Keerans live in homes in different sections of the borough. Both live next to dilapidated homes.

Solicitor Michael Greek advised council to hire a code enforcement officer -- it did a short time later -- and focus on the "major issues" at each shabby house.

Council hired Jeff Frable as the code enforcement officer. His wage has yet to be established.